Private Investigator Statistics & Facts
– FAQ's –

Frequently Asked Questions

How many private investigators are there in the United
States?

The best estimate provided by PI Magazine is that there are
approximately 60,000 private investigators employed in the USA.

How much do Private Investigators really earn?

According to the United States Department
of Labor the average income of a private investigator or private
detective was $28,000 in 2005. This figure may seem low, but
it is actually quite accurate for a majority of private investigators.
As mentioned earlier, many PI’s are retired law enforcement who usually receive
some sort of pension in the $40-$60k range. When you add the
reported average $28k income along with the pension income you
can understand why the average income isn’t that high.
However, we have found that the average income of non-law enforcement
PI’s is much higher ranging from $40k - $120K. There are
many private investigators that earn more than $200k per year,
but those successful investigators represent less than 5% of
all licensed investigators in the United States.

How many women are Private Investigators?

The number of female private investigators is on a continuing up
rise with an estimated 15% share of the approximate 60,000 private
investigators in the United States. There are no official records
that provide an exact number of women licensed or working as private
investigators. However, the increasing number of women attending
state association investigative conferences seems to confirm these
numbers.